Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 80982 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80982 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
When his head dipped, I brought my other hand up and met his jaw with everything I had to give. The impact snapped his head sideways, and his entire body went limp. He hit the gravel hard, and this time, he didn’t bounce back.
For a second, all I could hear was the sound of my own breathing. It was steady, but deeper than it used to be after a fight like that. My ribs throbbed a bit, and my cheek had a bit of a sting to it. But nothing was broken, and there weren’t any wounds I couldn’t walk off.
I stood over him long enough to make sure he wasn’t going to get back up, and thankfully, he didn’t. He just lay there all sprawled out and groaning like he was on his last leg. I dragged my hand over my mouth, wiping away the trace of blood, then turned my attention to the girl.
“You alright?”
“Yes.” Her eyes flickered with something that looked like relief before she added, “Thanks to you.”
“Can I offer you a ride or something?”
“No, I’m fine.”
“You sure?”
“She said she was fine,” the guy grumbled from the ground.
“No one asked you!”
The girl stepped forward and kicked him in the gut.
Good girl.
She turned back to me and sighed, “My car is over there.”
“You should probably get to it.”
“Yeah, I should.” She took a step forward, then stopped. “Thank you for your help with him.”
“Don’t mention it.”
“He’s really not all that bad… Just losing his way every now and then gets out of hand.”
“You could say the same about poison ivy.” I cocked my brow. “It’s all good and well until you bump up against it. The rash hits hard and spreads fast. Best to just steer clear of it.”
“I try but… you know how it is. The rash eventually fades, and that’s when I tend to forget and get too close again.”
“The time will come when it won’t fade, and he’ll take you out. Sure would hate to see that happen.”
“Yeah, me too.”
“Then, steer clear.”
“Yes, sir,” she answered, sounding like she meant it. “I will.”
With that, she continued over to her car. Once she’d gotten inside, I knelt down next to her ex and grabbed a chunk of his hair, forcing his head back. The second his eyes met mine, I leaned in and growled, “Keep your fucking hands off the girl, or next time, I cut the motherfuckers right off. And you’ll spend the rest of your sorry life thinking back on a time when you could still wipe your own ass.”
I released his hair, and his head dropped to the gravel with a hard thud.
When I got back to my bike, I grabbed my gloves and, just as I started pulling them on, I spotted Hank standing at the bar's front door. “Damn, man. I was right. I knew you still had some fight in you.”
I shook my head and continued putting on my gloves. My hands were still buzzing with adrenaline, and the last thing I needed was to deal with Hank and his bullshit. “Not happening, Hank.”
I swung my leg over the seat and slipped on my helmet. He stood there watching as I started the bike and let the engine drown out everything, including the part of me that was wondering if staying one more night would bite me in the ass. The rumble vibrated through my bones as I eased out of the lot and onto the main road.
I peered out at the road ahead and let out a breath. I don’t know what it was about this fight night, but I had this gnawing feeling that I should go check it out. And hell, who knows? I might end up with a few extra bucks in my pocket.
2
RAELYN
“It’s after six.”
“I’m well aware.”
“He was supposed to be done at five-thirty.”
“I’m aware of that, too.”
Thomas’s soccer practice was running long yet again. It was the third time this week. He was twelve years old, in middle school, and while the coach rarely put him in, he never missed a game or a practice. And Lucas and I were his chauffeurs.
I leaned back in my seat and crossed my arms, trying to pretend that I wasn’t as annoyed as I was. It would only add to the fire Lucas was brewing next to me. My youngest was too much like me for his own good.
He had my brown hair, brown eyes, and crooked smile. He also had my height. He was barely nine and already five feet tall, and he also had my lack of patience. Add in the fact that we were tired and hungry, and there was a full meltdown on the horizon.
Lucas slumped down in his seat as he groaned, “How much longer?”
“I have no idea.”
“I’m hungry.”
“I know you are, and I’m sure Thomas is, too. It shouldn’t be much longer. Looks like they are almost done running their drills.”